In the circumstances of the extensive worldwide political and
media attention that is currently focussed on the Echelon
communications surveillance network, I wish to pay tribute to
the person who first alerted the United States legislature and
the world to the existence of Echelon.

Following the presentation of my report on Echelon and
related Sigint systems to the European Parliament in
Brussels earlier this week, my principal original source has
said that she may be identified.

I published the first-ever report about Echelon in the British
political weekly New Statesman on 12 August 1988. The
information about Echelon in that report came principally from
Margaret Newsham, a computer systems manager who is
now in retirement.

Margaret Newsham, better known as Peg, was formerly
employed by a contractor at the National Security Agency
Field Station at Menwith Hill, Yorkshire, England. From
August 1978 onwards, she worked at Menwith Hill as a
software system support co-ordinator. In this capacity, she
helped managed a number of Sigint computer databases,
including "Echelon 2". She and others also helped establish
the "Silkworth" system at Menwith Hill. Silkworth is the
ground processing system for the series of signals
intelligence satellites initially known as Chalet, Vortex and
Mercury.

Later, on transferring to Sunnyvale, California, Peg Newsham
worked for Lockheed Space and Missiles Corporation. In that
capacity, she became aware of the plans drawn up for the
massive expansion of the Echelon network, a project
identified internally as P-415.

During her employment by Lockheed, she became
concerned about corruption, fraud and abuse within the
organisations planning and operating electronic surveillance
systems such as Echelon. She drew these matters to the
attention of the House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence early in 1988.

While working at Menwith Hill, she witnessed the interception
of a telephone call made by US Senator Strom Thurmond.
Although this incident was reported to the House Committee,
no substantive investigation took place, and no report was
made to Congress.